The Best Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders

Published 3/23/2021 • Updated 10/18/2022

Baked Chicken Tenders

There is no age at which you have to stop eating chicken tenders. Whether you are 5 or 55, if you love chicken tendys, order them! We are big fans of chicken tenders over here on FFF. We recently made these delicious air fryer chicken tenders for those of you who love their air fryer and now we are focusing on these baked chicken tenders. A classic baked chicken tender with no fuss!

All the Ingredients You Need

Other than your chicken tenders, there are only a few other ingredients that you need! We always recommend looking over your ingredient list and measuring everything out before starting any recipe. Here’s what you need to make these baked chicken tenders:

Chicken tendersPanko breadcrumbsWhite whole wheat flourGarlic powderItalian seasoningRed pepper flakes SaltPepperLarge eggsStone ground mustardHoneyOlive oilWhite wine vinegarLemon juice

How to Make Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

There are really only three steps for the instructions for these baked chicken tenders. It really is that simple to get restaurant-crispy chicken tenders that aren’t deep fried! White Whole Wheat Flour —> All Purpose Flour or Almond Flour Panko Bread Crumbs —> Any Bread Crumbs or GF Bread Crumbs Stone Ground Mustard —> Dijon Mustard or Reguar Mustard Honey—> Maple Syrup White Wine Vinegar—> Red Wine Vinegar or Rice Vinegar

DIP Chicken in Egg wash

You are going to dip your chicken through two different mixtures. First, dip each raw chicken tender through an egg wash. You do this to both allow the bread crumbs to stick to the chicken but the egg wash also helps to crisp up the bread crumbs! Once you dip the chicken tender through the egg mixture, you want to make sure to allow any excess egg to drip from the chicken tender!

Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs

Your second dredge is through the breadcrumb mixture that is made with panko breadcrumbs, white whole wheat flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. After each tender is coated in egg, place one tender into the breadcrumb mixture and roll it around until it is completely coated. It helps to only dredge on chicken tender at a time in the breadcrumb mixture! Otherwise too many clumps are made from all the moisture and things can get messy.

Bake Chicken Tenders

Preheat the oven to 450ºF and then place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet. You will need spray the baking rack before placing the chicken tenders on top of baking rack. Spray or drizzle the chicken tenders with olive oil and then bake them for 20 minutes, flip them, and then bake the chicken tenders for an additional 10 minutes or until they are crispy and golden brown

Baked Chicken Tenders Qs

How do I make chicken tenders extra crispy?

To make oven baked chicken tenders extra crispy you can spread the bread crumb mixture out on a baking sheet and bake the breadcrumbs for for 2-4 minutes at 400ºF or until they turn golden brown. You just crisp them up before baking the chicken tenders first. Then, proceed with the recipe!

What do I serve with baked chicken tenders?

There are so many delicious sides that you can serve with these baked chicken tenders. Below are some of our favorites!

Greek Salad RecipeHealthy Baked Potato SaladCrispy Sweet Potato Fries

Can I make chicken tenders out of chicken breasts?

Yes, you can buy chicken breasts and turn them into chicken tenders. All you have to do is cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick strips.

What are great dipping sauces for chicken tenders?

We make a delicious honey mustard dressing to go along with these chicken tenders, but any of the dressings or sauces below would be great dipping sauces for these baked chicken tenders.

Easy Vegan PestoGreek Yogurt Dill Pickle DipAll Purpose Green Goddess DipRanch Dressing

3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard3 tablespoon honey1 tablespoon olive oil1 teaspoon white wine vinegarsqueeze lemonpinch saltpinch pepper

Freeze

Yes, you can freeze these oven baked chicken tenders. Let them cool completely before placing them into a freezer safe bag. Place them into the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheat

From Frozen, preheat the oven to 350ºF and place the chicken tenders on a rack that is on a baking sheet. Bake the chicken tenders from frozen for 30 minutes flipping every 10 minutes. When the chicken is thawed and baked, you have the option to broil the chicken tenders for 2-3 minutes to really crisp them up.